Tasia and Gracia’s Indonesian flavours

Nothing makes Melbourne restaurateurs Tasia and Gracia Seger happier than serving Indonesian food, filled with rich flavours and textures.

Born in Indonesia and raised in India and Australia, Coles ambassadors and former My Kitchen Rules winners Tasia and Gracia Seger are proud of their heritage. The sisters have special memories of mealtimes with their family of seven. “Mum would cook Indonesian food, because we were all missing our family in Indonesia,” Tasia says. “She taught us the traditions around the food she grew up with.”

Flavours of Indonesia

Now based in Melbourne, Tasia and Gracia enjoy creating recipes that fuse Indonesian flavours with other cuisines. They still love all the classic dishes, too, including nasi goreng (fried rice), sate ayam (chargrilled chicken satay with peanut sauce) and rendang (beef curry). “Indonesian food is one of the most vibrant cuisines,” says Gracia. “Many dishes use a base of bumbu – a paste made with garlic, shallots and chilli – so the flavours are savoury, hot and spicy.” 

To cook Indonesian at home, you need kecap manis. “It’s a thick, sweet soy sauce that gives nasi goreng its dark colour and rich flavour,” Tasia says. Another must-have is ABC brand chilli sauce. “It’s Indonesia’s sriracha – we use it on everything,” Gracia says.

Their favourite dishes

When cooking for gatherings, Tasia and Gracia can’t go past the traditional gado gado salad and the chicken dish, ayam goreng. “It’s not your typical fried chicken – it’s much more complex,” Gracia says. “It uses a spice paste made with garlic, shallots, coriander seeds, turmeric, galangal and lemongrass. The chicken is simmered with coconut milk and coconut cream until tender, then deep-fried until golden and crispy.”

For a cooling treat, they recommend avocado shakes. “Blend avocado, ice and milk to get a silky, creamy texture, then add condensed milk for sweetness,” Tasia says. “Top it off with chocolate syrup or a shot of coffee – it’s delicious!”